Life Membership

About | Criteria | When and How to Nominate | Sample Criteria | COGS Life Members | Download Nomination Form

(Download Nomination Form)

About COGS Life Membership

Life membership, provided for under the Constitution, is an honour bestowed on members whose outstanding service and contribution to COGS has provided considerable benefit to the organisation over an extended period. As a token of COGS’ appreciation, life members’ membership fees are waived, (they pay normal fees for plots they may have) and they receive COGS’ Magazine.

COGS’ life membership appointments celebrate the importance of volunteers to the Society and the wider community, as well as recognising the considerable contributions made by individuals to the work of COGS.

Life Member Criteria

Nominees for life membership must be current financial members of COGS.

Nominations are assessed against the following criteria:

• service to COGS over a long period of time
• specific achievements that further the aims and objectives of COGS
• provision of valued leadership and/or being an outstanding role model to members
• service reflecting favourably and bringing great credit to COGS.

New life Membership appointments, along with a summary of the member’s contribution to COGS, are published in the COGS Magazine following their appointment.

When and How to Nominate a Life Member

When to Nominate

Nominations for COGS life membership are accepted until the end of November each year. Awards to successful nominees will be announced at the Annual General Meeting held the following March.

How to Nominate

Financial members who are considering nominating a current COGS member for life membership should:

• Download the Nomination Form.
• Complete the nomination form in writing addressing the required criteria (the sample criteria below can provide a helpful template).
• Submit the completed form to a current COGS committee member (garden convenors can provide contact details)
• The sponsoring committee member will forward the written nomination form to the Secretary (secretary@cogs.asn.au) for consideration by the full committee.

Sample Life Membership criteria

The following sample life membership criteria was contained in the nominations supporting the 2022 appointments. These are offered as a guide only to assist in the preparation of a successful nomination.

Andy Hrast

1. Service to COGS over a long period of time

The following timeline demonstrates Andy commitment and service to the Canberra Organic Growers Society Inc. (COGS) and its members over a considerable period. Andy joined COGS in 1988 and first took up a plot in the original Cotter Garden before transferring to the new Betty Cornhill Garden in 1990 when Cotter closed. 

Andy’s contribution to the development of the Betty Cornhill garden as both gardener and Convenor is greatly appreciated by past and present garden members. His active involvement in the management of COGS spans more than 20 years, including Betty Cornhill Garden Convenor 2003 – 2006, COGS Committee Member 2011 – 2013, Secretary 2013 – 2016, Treasurer 2016 – Aug 2020 and PresidentAug 2020 – 2023.

2. Specific achievements that further the aims and objectives of COGS

Andy has provided outstanding leadership for COGS as an organisation that promotes organic growing principles and practice. He has developed supportive and respectful relationships with members within his own garden (Betty Cornhill Garden) and at the management level of COGS through his work as a Garden Convenor, Executive committee member, Secretary, Treasurer and latterly as President. His knowledge and experience have provided a foundation for the continuing development of COGS as a prime source for implementing and commenting on organic growing practices within the general Canberra community. 

3. Provision of valued leadership and/or being an outstanding role model to members

Andy’s commitment to his organic gardening practice is well known and enables him to provide advice and encouragement to fellow gardeners at the Betty Cornhill Garden and to others through the extensive COGS network of community gardens.

As COGS Treasurer, Andy established accounting procedures and practices that ensured the future financial stability of the organisation. In a difficult period for the organisation due to long term drought conditions Andy established a means to balance COGS membership and plot fees to meet the challenge of increasing water utility costs and overall infrastructure needs.

As COGS President Andy led a very successful Planning Workshop (February 2021) designed to help COGS meet several challenges to the wellbeing and longevity of the organisation and its members. Subsequently Andy led the complex work of a special subcommittee to simplify and modernize content for a new COGS Constitution. The new Constitution was ratified by the membership at a special general meeting in October 2022.

4. Service reflecting favorably and bringing great credit to COGS

Andy’s commitment and loyalty to the COGS organisation for over 15 years is very much appreciated and underpins his relationships with the wider community and relevant ACT government departments. He provides steady and thoughtful leadership from which the organisation benefits greatly.

Terry Williams

1. Service to COGS over a long period of time

Terry has been a member of COGS for almost 20 years and for most of those years he has served in various leadership roles. Even when not in an official position he has provided service and support to COGS. He continues to play an important role in the background, keeping key parts of COGS running and developing to meet the changing needs of COGS and its membership.

2. Specific achievements that further the aims and objectives of COGS

Terry has served on the COGS Executive Committee, providing valuable input to the management of COGS. In particular, he has provided skills in IT and finance in the development of the COGS finance system and its website.

Although Terry no longer has a plot at the Oaks Estate Garden, he has continued as a COGS member and provides an invaluable role in the operation of COGS:

• working closely with editor on the printing and posting of the quarterly Canberra Organic magazine
• manages the distribution of the “all member” mail outs; and
• most recently has been working with members of the COGS Executive on the digitalisation of COGS records

3. Provision of valued leadership and/or being an outstanding role model to members

As Convenor for the Oaks Estate Garden, including a difficult period when some members of the local community were opposed to the garden, Terry showed great leadership and perseverance. During this time Terry kept the garden going, including successfully applying for grant funding.

4. Service reflecting favorably and bringing great credit to COGS

These initiatives at both the garden and COGS management levels demonstrate Terry’s management skills and commitment to COGS. COGS’ Oaks Estate garden and COGS would be in a far poorer state today if it was not for the unstinting contributions that Terry has made over many years and continues to make.